There are a lot of injuries going around these days. Both in the health-and-fitness blogosphere and in my non-Internet life, the past week has brought news of several friends being benched, from a runner-friend with a torn calf muscle to a fellow ski-patroller who has to skip this weekend’s women’s ski-and-toboggan clinic to recover from a car accident.

So when I read a story yesterday about Norwegian ski-racer Aksel Svindal in the March issue of Outside magazine, I naturally felt a connection to this quote, which describes Svindal’s convalescence from a horrific injury at the Birds of Prey race in 2007 in Beaver Creek a few years back:

“I knew I wasn’t going to ski for a while,” Svindal told Outside. “But I was like, ‘I don’t care how long it takes. That’s irrelevant. As long as I get back, 100 percent.’”

The quote reminded me of the single-minded, patient focus we athletes have the ability to channel, both on race day and in times of trouble off the course. Svindal went on to win the same race in 2008. At last year’s Birds of Prey race, Svindal termed that 2007 crash “ancient history.” Here’s wishing all of my injured friends Svindal’s patience and grace.

2 responses to “Motivational quote for injured athletes: “I don’t care how long it takes.””

This actually made me cry Amy. There is a kid at our school. He is a sophomore and he has had the world’s worse year. He just lost his day to ALS two weeks ago but five months before that he had a horrific accident on the soccer pitch. He collided with the goalie and a bone in his leg snapped, severing an artery. He almost lost the leg but we are so lucky to live near so many great hospitals. He is still on crutches and I asked a mom how he was doing. She told me that he had told her son just the day before that he knows he will never play soccer again but he hopes to maybe one day be able to return to skiing. I complain about injuries a lot but this reminded me that its just an injury. I will come back. I am so sorry for those who know they will not.